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Crystals
Crystals are the generating source of natural elements in the ES universe. One of each Prime crystal is necessary to sustain life on a planet. Depending on their size and construction, a crystal generates element at a certain rate, referred to as the power of the crystal. Crystal Power The Crystals are placed by a third party with a particular target size and, hence, power output. The amount of raw Prime element that a crystal produces is directly dependent on its size. The more power output, the larger the landscape of a planet it influences. The most habitable parts of any planet are where the spheres of influence from one of each element overlap. If Prime element is drawn directly from the crystal, it takes from the amount that can be used on the landscape. In the short-term, this has little effect as long as full power is restored. If power is continually drawn away, however, the sphere of influence for the crystal will shrink and negatively effect the land in proportion, possibly even making areas uninhabitable. If more power is drawn from the crystal than it produces, the crystal will consume some of its mass to make up the deficit. If this continues far enough, the crystal can be completely consumed and cease to exist. Small chips can be chiseled off the crystal and carried. While it takes significant time to repair such an injury to the main crystal, it will recover itself using its power production over time. The crystal fragment carried away produces an amount of power proportional to its size and follows the same rules as the parent crystal, although with far less power available at any time, and with far less power to repair itself. Crystal fragments are often reserved for the foremost leaders in a race and guarded zealously by their owners. Obtaining physical access to a Prime crystal, which is necessary to establish a direct link with it or take a fragment, required maneuvering past the Crystal's guardian, usually a Dragon of the same color and element as the crystal. Accessing Crystals Each race can access the natural elements generated by the life-giving Crystals on a planet. In addition, the Magi can draw Prime elements in nature apart and remix them, and the Techs have developed methods to do the same with their advanced machinery. However, far more ease of use is found from accessing a Prime Crystal directly. This can be done either by establishing a direct link with the crystals...tbc Crystals by Planet The approach to crystals is radically different on each planet. Sirius Six Prime crystals provide life on Sirius, two of each Prime. Air crystals sit at each pole while fire a nd water crystals are found along the equator spread in four ways as far as possible, alternating so that no two crystals of any kind are adjacent. This creates 8 triangular areas of optimal balance, as demonstrated by the eight metropolis regions of the planet, roughly on the 45th parallels. This also creates 6 regions of square-like extrema where only the most devoted scholars or naturalists can travel, nearest each crystal. The Magi on Sirius revere the abilities granted them by access to the elements and hence...tbc